One of the biggest challenges facing new business owners, particularly those operating solely online, is gaining an audience for their product offering.
With no shop in a high footfall location for customers to visit, the internet can quickly become a threatening minefield of competitors who could easily steer consumers away from your business and towards theirs. Fear not, for there is one simple way to take back your deserved cyberspace and shout about what you’ve got to offer; create a blog.
Where do I start?
Coined from the term ‘web log’, a blog is exactly that; a regularly updated web page full of exciting, useful or engaging content. These tend to take a more informal tone to connect with a variety of readers on a down to earth level.
The first thing you need to do is decide on the platform you wish to use. There are a whole host out there, including WordPress, Blogger and Squarespace, the choice is yours. Many are free and have professionally designed templates which allow you to build your brand in alignment with your vision.
Once you’ve set up your domain name, perhaps decide how regularly you will post. Whether it’s daily, weekly or monthly, it’s important to be consistent so you slowly build up a following and don’t leave them feeling abandoned!
What do I blog about?
When it comes to blog topics, the world truly is your oyster. The main thing to bear in mind is that you want to drive traffic to your website, so choose a topic that will entice readers to click and keep them on your page. Topics will vary depending on whether you are selling a product, like jewellery, greeting cards or furniture or a service like designing, writing or consulting.
Try to be niche if you can. There’s no shortage of content on the internet so it’s important to curate yours in a way that will make your business stand out. This could be by focusing on a specific product, for example if you’re a beauty retailer, a new cosmetics line, or if you’re a graphic designer, a recent project you’ve completed or new programme on the market. Humour helps to keep readers entertained, so if you fancy yourself as a comedian now’s your time to shine.
How will it help?
In short, blogging will be invaluable towards the success of your business. It’s free, easy to circulate through social media and with commitment, can generate higher sales numbers. Over time, you will establish a connection with your audience and be able to tailor your content to complement their interests. Readers are likely to become loyal customers or clients, which will inevitably lead to business longevity. It’s a chain reaction that all starts by putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).
Remember, results won’t come overnight so staying motivated and keeping to your publishing schedule is key. Good luck!